Alternate Ending
by ElizabethDarcy78
Summary: What would happen if Don and Peggy's dance at the end of "The Strategy" had ended a bit differently? Would life at SC&P Ever be the same? Rated M for language and sexual content. *Spoilers for season 7A. Don/Peggy, Stan Rizzo, Pete Campbell, Megan Draper, Lou Avery. **I own nothing, Matthew Weiner and Lionsgate own everything. ***COMPLETED 9/20/14
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

'And now the end is near, and so I face the final curtain,'

"Are you hearing this?" Don asked as he and Peggy were working together on the Burger Chef Pitch in Lou's Office. Peggy looked up from her notes, "I know, they're playing it all the time." "Do you think that's a coincidence?" Don asked incredulously. He took a sip of his drink and then put the glass down on the coffee table and held out his hand, wordlessly asking her to dance. Peggy made a face and shrugged him off. "Come on." Don pleaded. Peggy sighed and reluctantly acquiesced.

Don took one of Peggy's hands and held it while he placed his other hand around her waist. Peggy couldn't recall ever standing so close to Don for any length of time before. He smelled good and she felt very comfortable in his arms. She looked up into his eyes and she saw that Don was gazing at her with a strange expression. Peggy wasn't sure what compelled her to do it, but she stood up on her tip toes and kissed Don lightly on the lips. Don stiffened but didn't otherwise react. Just as Peggy was about to pull away, Don kissed her back fervently. Peggy felt butterflies all throughout her body. Don was similarly affected and he abruptly ended the kiss after a few moments.

Peggy opened her eyes and saw that Don was staring at her as if he was just seeing her clearly for the first time. He then walked away, leaving her standing in the middle of Lou's office to gather up his belongings. Don looked up and saw that Peggy was watching him with concern etched upon her face. He walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek. "I have to go." Don said, "I think we've really hit on something here. Good work." Peggy began to feel panicked. "Don?" Peggy said with concern. Don smiled reassuringly, "I'll see you in the morning sweetheart." Don said and he turned and walked out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Don left the office and immediately returned to his apartment. Megan was sitting on the couch painting her nails and she didn't look up when he entered the room. "Crisis averted?" Megan asked, her tone belying her annoyance. Don didn't answer and he walked directly to his bedroom to change clothes.

Don couldn't quite grasp what had happened between himself and Peggy. He knew that he had felt something when he kissed her…feelings that he could not have anticipated. Don had never allowed himself to think of Peggy as a woman, but the truth of the matter was that Peggy had developed from an attractive young girl to a beautiful confident woman. He wasn't sure when he began to develop romantic feelings for her, but it must have occurred gradually over time.

Before Don could even begin to consider his complicated feelings for Peggy, he needed to acknowledge the disintegration of his marriage to Megan. He hadn't been willing to admit it, but his marriage had been circling the drain for a long time. They had become strangers to one another. Don was willing to accept most of the blame for this, but he knew that he needed to take action and put them both out of their misery. Don knew that he needed to speak up and admit to Megan that he wanted a divorce.

Don has lost track of the amount of time that he'd spent in his bedroom alone until Megan came in and noticed him still sitting on the bed. "Don, my flight leaves at 8:00 in the morning and I need to get some sleep." Don looked up and saw his wife undressing and getting ready for bed and he felt nothing. Don closed his eyes and took a deep breath to prepare himself for what was likely going to be an unpleasant conversation.

"Megan, are you happy?" Don began. Megan stopped what she was doing and looked at Don with confusion. "What do you mean, am I happy?" Don looked Megan straight in the eye. "Are you happy with me?" Megan sighed. "I was, Don. But I'm just tired of fighting for this marriage when it's perfectly clear what is most important to you, and it's never been me. " Don shook his head, "That's not true." "Yes it is, Don." Megan said emphatically. "I was a convenient distraction for a while. But I have never been enough for you." Don grimaced. "You are right, and I am so sorry. But honey this isn't working anymore. It hasn't been working for a very long time. You deserve to be with someone who really appreciates you for who you are and who is capable of treating you the way you deserve to be treated. I would be doing you a disservice keeping you tied down to me." Megan began to cry. "What are you saying, Don?" Don looked at Megan straight in the eyes. "What I am saying is that I think we both know that this is over, but neither of us has been willing to admit it."

Megan began openly sobbing and Don drew her into an embrace and gently rubbed her back. After a few moments, Megan spoke. "I know you're right…I just never thought I'd hear you say it." "I'll always take care of you. I owe you that." Don said quietly. "You don't owe me anything." Megan said sadly, "I'll be fine."

Don offered Megan the use of their bed for the evening, and he slept in Sally's room. Megan chose to take a taxi to the airport in the morning to save them both from an uncomfortable situation. Once Megan had left, Don felt a sense of relief that this chapter of his life had finally drawn to a close.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Peggy couldn't get what had happened between herself and Don out of her mind. What had possessed her to kiss _Don_ of all people? Had she learned nothing about getting involved with married coworkers? Things were just getting back to normal between her and Don in the office...why did she have to go and ruin it?

Peggy couldn't deny that she felt something when Don kissed her. Just the thought of their kiss brought back the feeling of butterflies all over her body. Don was a very handsome man, but he had never shown the least bit of interest in her. She knew that she was an attractive woman, but she wasn't stopping men in the streets and she could never compare to Megan, nor did she want to. Peggy assumed that Don had simply had a momentary lapse of reason and that he immediately regretted his behavior which was why he had left Lou's office so abruptly. Peggy decided that when she saw Don next, that she would pretend that nothing had happened. She didn't want to remind him of something he would likely want to forget.

Peggy felt sick to her stomach when she arrived at work the next day. She covered her desk with paperwork so as to appear busy, when in reality she was anxiously listening for Don to arrive. She didn't have long to wait however. Don arrived at work shortly after nine o'clock feeling just as anxious as Peggy. He had no desire to avoid Peggy. He valued their working relationship too much to behave in such a childish manner. Don had no idea what he was going to say when he saw her, but when he found himself walking down the hallway he made the split-second decision to poke his head in her office.

"Good morning." Don said more cheerfully than he felt. Peggy looked up from her stack of papers and smiled nervously. "Good morning Don. Thank you for your help yesterday. I think we've really zeroed in on the strategy." Peggy said very formally. Don smiled tightly, "I agree. Although, someone needs to break the news to Pete about the change. He is not likely to take the news well so close to the presentation. Would you like to do it or should I?" Peggy thought for a minute then spoke. "You know Pete might take it better if it came from the two of us. We should all three go to one of the restaurants off of the turnpike and discuss the change in strategy there." Don smiled a genuine smile. "I think that's a great idea. I'll go find Pete and tell him to meet us in reception after five o'clock and I'll drive us all out there." "Great Don, it's a date!" The second the words left her mouth Peggy cringed and turned beet red. Don laughed at Peggy's discomfort. "Yes, well I'll see you later." Don then turned towards his secretary and handed her his hat and coat and entered his office. As soon as she knew he was out of earshot, Peggy beat her head against her desk softly.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Don, Peggy and Pete Campbell all met at reception after work and Don drove them to a Burger Chef restaurant off of the New Jersey Turnpike. As predicted Pete behaved like a petulant child as he sat in the back seat of Don's car while Don and Peggy sat up front. Once they arrived and had obtained their food, Don and Peggy set about explaining the change in strategy. Don grew irritated at one point when Pete looked to him for his opinion, "She's doing it they way that she wants. I agree with her that this is the right way to go." Peggy smiled and appreciated the words of confidence from her former mentor. It took quite a bit of convincing but eventually Pete came around to the new idea.

Pete excused himself to use the men's room and make a quick phone call, leaving Don and Peggy alone for the first time that day. Neither of them spoke until Peggy broke the awkward silence. "Thank you for your help with Pete." Don smiled, "It was my pleasure, Peggy. I really do think that we have something here." Peggy smiled in agreement. "I think so too." Don knew that their time alone was limited and he wanted to address the issue that he was sure was on both of their minds.

"Listen Peggy," Don began, "I want to apologize for my behavior last night. I had absolutely no business kissing you." Peggy looked at Don with alarm. "Don, stop. You have no reason to apologize. I'm the one who...initiated things. I think we should pretend like it never happened." Don's heart sank and he frowned. "Really? Are you sure?" Peggy nodded. "Yes. We need to concentrate on winning this business. Any feelings that we may or may not be having for each other are only a distraction at this point." Don had to agree with Peggy's logic. It had been revealed at the partners' meeting earlier in the day that the agency had lost their biggest client Chevy. Obtaining new business was crucial to the survival of the agency. But Don had to admit that he was disappointed to hear that Peggy was not interested in pursuing a relationship with him. Don sighed and conceded, "You're right. Winning this business needs to be everyone's first priority."

However, something Peggy said had struck him as odd and he couldn't keep himself from prying just a little bit. "Now hold on just a second. Did you just imply that you felt something for me?" Don asked hopefully. Peggy blushed, "Of course Don! I'm not made of stone!" Don leaned back in his seat and grinned in smug satisfaction.

Pete returned to the table moments later and he could sense the strange tension between his two colleagues. "Did I miss something?" Pete asked. "No Pete. Don and I talk all the time when you're not around." Peggy said drily. Pete made a face and Don laughed and discretely squeezed Peggy's leg under the table. Peggy placed her hand over Don's and held it tight, exchanging a meaningful glance with him. Pete noticed this odd exchange but didn't think anything of it. "Yes, well we should get home. I don't know about the rest of you but I didn't get much sleep last night." Pete said as he gathered up his belongings and prepared to leave. Don and Peggy both nodded in silent agreement and they all left the restaurant.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

There was a flurry of activity at SC&P in the six weeks leading up to the Burger Chef pitch. The Creative team prepared extensively, rehearsing the pitch often. By the time meeting was upon them they felt confident that they had a winner on their hands. Everyone was pleased to see that the animosity between Don and Peggy had finally dissipated and that they were working well together again.

Don realized that he needed to get his personal life in order before he could pursue a new relationship with anyone. He and Megan had already begun divorce proceedings and he was relieved to see that they were able to remain civil to one another. Don drastically cut back on his drinking and he began swimming in the mornings before he came to work. As a result he felt better than he had in years. Don also made a concerted effort to see more of his kids, insisting that they spend weekends with him in the city whenever possible.

Soon it was time for the team to travel to Indianapolis to present to the executives at Burger Chef. The team performed a dry run for Pete Campbell on the Friday before they were to present and he was pleased with what he saw. "I have to admit," Pete said enthusiastically, "I was skeptical when you told me about the change in strategy. But you have managed to convince me that I was wrong to doubt you."

On Sunday Don, Peggy, Pete and Harry Crane all boarded a plane bound for Indianapolis. Don and Pete sat one row ahead of Peggy and Harry and the latter two were able to hear everything that Don and Pete said. Peggy tried not to listen but she couldn't help herself. She overhead Pete giving Don a pep talk that he appreciated but felt was unnecessary. Peggy was surprised to learn that Don's future with the agency may be in jeopardy. Pete suggested that Don move out to the LA office and replace Ted Chaough whom Pete had deemed useless. Peggy was astonished when Don informed Pete that it wasn't necessary for him to move to California anymore. 'Was Don's marriage over?' Peggy thought to herself. The last time she had seen Don and Megan together things had seemed fine. Then Peggy recalled that the last time Don had mentioned his wife had been on the night that they kissed. Peggy had a sinking feeling that she might have been indirectly responsible for the dissolution of the Draper's marriage.

Once they had landed and checked into their hotel rooms the four colleagues gathered in Harry and Pete's room to watch the moon landing on television. Peggy managed to buy a couple of beers off of the night clerk and she gave one to Don and kept one for herself. Pete sat on his bed, Harry sat on the floor in front of Pete and Peggy and Don sat on the other bed, shoulder to shoulder. Peggy enjoyed being in such close proximity to Don. She could feel the warmth of his body next to hers and she could smell his aftershave. She and Don exchanged several meaningful glances throughout the evening that made Peggy's stomach flutter. Peggy could feel her resolve to keep things strictly professional with Don weakening by the second. Don had always been a very handsome man, but there was something about him lately that was different. He appeared to be somewhat humbled. Peggy had never been more attracted to him than she was at that moment.

After they had dispersed for the evening, Don telephoned his kids to wish them a goodnight. He then changed out of his dress shirt and lay on his bed in his undershirt and dress pants and watched TV. He was startled when he heard a knock On the door to his room. He looked through the peep hole and saw that it was Peggy. He opened the door and wordlessly let her in his room.

Peggy stood just inside the door and was clearly upset about something. She had changed into her pajamas and robe and she looked adorable. Don furrowed his brow in concern."Is there something wrong, Peggy?" Don asked. Peggy gazed up at him with her beautiful blue eyes but she was clearly agitated. "I don't know Don, you tell me. What are we doing? I know I said that we should forget about what happened between us and focus on Burger Chef, but I can't stop thinking about you or how I felt when we kissed. I've known you for years and you get me better than anyone. I'm sure I can think of a hundred different reasons why this would be a horrible idea, but all I care about right now is if you have feelings for me."

Don's eyes bored into Peggy's and she felt her breath catch. Don leaned down and kissed her full on the lips. Peggy felt the butterflies in her stomach return with full force. Don felt as if every part of his body had come alive. It felt wonderful.

Don ended the kiss a few moments later. "Does that answer you question?" Don said, grinning sheepishly. Peggy felt unsteady and she knew she needed to sit down. Peggy sat on the edge of Don's bed and he sat next to her. "What does this mean Don?" Peggy asked. Don shook his head. "I don't know. But in case you had any doubt, I do have feelings for you Peggy...very strong feelings that I never anticipated. I don't know why it took so long for me to really see you Peggy, but my eyes are open now and I think you are a smart and beautiful woman. I want to be with you...in every sense of the word." Peggy blushed at Don's declaration. Don looked directly into Peggy's eyes. "The question that you need to ask yourself is do you want to be with me?" Peggy could feel her heartbeat quicken. "I don't know Don, I think so...but what about Megan?" Don took a deep breath. "Megan and I are getting divorced." Peggy was stunned to hear her suspicions confirmed. "Oh." Peggy said softly and she looked down and studied her hands.

Don touched both sides of Peggy's face, forcing her to look at him. Peggy's heart swelled at such an intimate gesture. Don looked directly into her eyes and spoke. "I'm going to ask you again, because I need for you to be sure. If we move forward with this, everything will change and there is no going back. The last thing I want is to do is to hurt you by rushing into something too fast. You are too important to me Peggy and I don't want to ruin what we have." Peggy was silent for a moment, then she suddenly had a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach as she asked the next question. "Do you love me, Don?" Peggy asked. Don nodded. "Yes, very much. I have loved you and respected you for a very long time. Now please tell me, do you want to be with me?" Peggy took a deep breath. "Yes." she said emphatically.


	6. Chapter 6

***AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter contains material that is sexual in nature. This story is rated M for a reason.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

"I'm going to ask you again, because I need for you to be sure. If we move forward with this, everything will change and there is no going back. The last thing I want is to do is to hurt you by rushing into something too fast. You are too important to me and I don't want to ruin what we have." Peggy was silent for a moment, then she suddenly felt nervous as she asked the next question. "Do you love me, Don?" Peggy asked. Don nodded. "Yes, very much. I have loved you and respected you for a very long time. Now please tell me, do you want to be with me?" Peggy took a deep breath. "Yes." she said emphatically.

Don smiled warmly and gazed deep into Peggy's eyes. Peggy felt her stomach flutter. Don cupped the sides of her face with his hands and leaned down and kissed her passionately. Peggy put her arms around Don and touched the back of his neck, running her fingers through his hair. Don asked for access to Peggy's mouth with his tongue and she eagerly acquiesced. Peggy moaned softly and dove her fingers deeper into Don's hair. Don leaned towards Peggy, angling her towards the bed and she lay down on her back. Don ended the kiss and looked into Peggy's eyes to ensure that everything was okay. Peggy smiled and nodded, granting him permission to proceed. Don untied Peggy's robe and then began kissing Peggy's neck, gradually making his way down to her neckline. He then unbuttoned her pajamas revealing her breasts and Peggy arched her back towards him. Don ran his fingers lightly over Peggy's breasts and then took one of her nipples into his mouth and swirled it around with his tongue causing Peggy to cry out. He turned his attentions to her other breast, repeating his ministrations and then kissed her hungrily on the mouth. As he was kissing her, Don deftly removed Peggy's pajama bottoms revealing her panties and then ran his hands up and down her shapely legs.

Don then stood up and pulled off his undershirt. Peggy sat up on her knees and ran her hands all over his bare chest and kissed his chest above his heart. "I love you, Don." Peggy said smiling as she gazed up at him. Don felt his heart swell. Peggy then hugged him around the waist, enjoying the feeling of their bare skin pressed together. Peggy helped Don unbuckle his belt and he removed his pants leaving only his boxer shorts. Peggy lay back on the bed and Don removed her panties. Peggy felt exposed but very comfortable in his presence. Don gazed admiringly down at Peggy's naked form and smiled. "You are so beautiful, Peggy." Don then kissed her briefly on the lips and removed his underwear and lowered himself on top of her. He entered her slowly and deliberately, maintaining eye contact, allowing them both the chance to get used to the feel of the other. He then began thrusting back and forth, slowly at first, then gradually increasing with intensity. Peggy closed her eyes and ran her fingers all over Don's taught back as she wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing him closer. Don began thrusting with more and more speed and intensity and Peggy moaned deeply, digging her nails into Don's back. Don's thrusting reached its peak and they both reached their climax. Don collapsed on top of Peggy, overcome with emotion.

Don could feel tears building up and he closed his eyes as he lay on top of Peggy for a few moments. Don had had many lovers, but he had never experienced the intense emotional connection that he had with Peggy. Having sex with her had not simply been a physical act, it had affected him emotionally as well.

Peggy was silent, save for the heavy breathing brought about by their activities. Peggy was by no means inexperienced sexually, but she had never experienced physical pleasure as intense as what she had felt while making love to Don with any other man.

Peggy smoothed the hair that had fallen into Don's eyes away and kissed him on the forehead. "Jesus!" Peggy exclaimed and Don laughed quietly. Don carefully rolled off of Peggy and lay down next to her on the bed, putting his arm around her. Peggy rest her head on Don's chest and he kissed her hair. "Thank you." Don said quietly. Peggy was bemused. "For what, Don?" "For everything. I love you Peggy." Peggy reached over and touched Don's face which was rough with the beard that had grown in by that time of night. "I love you too Don. More than I ever thought I could love another person." Don was moved by her words and kissed her passionately once again.

After a few minutes of lying there enjoying each other's company, Don cleared his throat. "Listen Peggy, there is something that I need to tell you, because I don't want there to be any secrets between us." "Don, stop." Peggy said and she put her fingers over Don's lips. "Whatever you have to say can wait for another day. I'm not going anywhere. Let's just enjoy this evening and get some sleep so that we'll be ready for Burger Chef in the morning." Don grinned sheepishly. "Oh right. Burger Chef. I had forgotten why we were here." Don said facetiously. Peggy rolled over onto her side and touched Don's face again and looked into his eyes. "I'm very happy that we did this. I love you." Don leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. "I love you too, Peggy." Don said softly. He then pulled the covers over their naked bodies and turned out the light, pulling Peggy close. They fell asleep in each other's arms within a few minutes.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Peggy snuck out of Don's room early the next morning to shower and get ready for the Burger Chef Pitch. She felt ridiculous sneaking around like a teenager, but she wanted to avoid having Pete and Harry see her leaving Don's room at all costs.

Everyone was to meet in the hotel lobby at eight o'clock in the morning but Peggy was running behind which caused Pete no small amount of stress. She eventually arrived in the lobby ten minutes late and was very apologetic. When she first saw Don freshly showered and looking sharp in his dark blue suit, wearing a look of mock disapproval, she had a difficult time keeping a straight face and broke into a huge grin. She walked over and stood next to him and he kissed her briefly on the cheek. "You look beautiful this morning sweetheart." Don said affectionately. Peggy blushed a deep shade of red. "Thank you Don." Peggy said, and she couldn't keep herself from looking at him with admiration. Harry noticed this odd exchange and made a note to himself to get to the bottom of it later. "Thank you for joining us Peggy." Pete said testily, "If we are through with the pleasantries, I have a cab waiting." Don rolled his eyes at Pete. "We have plenty of time Pete, just relax. Peggy and I are the ones doing the heavy lifting anyway." Don said calmly. Pete made a face and led the way out of the hotel lobby to the waiting cab. Don gestured for Peggy to go first and he followed close behind with his hand at the small of her back...a gesture that Harry noticed with great interest.

The cab ride was uneventful and the Burger Chef presentation was by all accounts a great success. As Pete had predicted, Don's pitch was a tearjerker, and Peggy's contribution as "The Voice of Moms" was effective as well. The team felt fairly confident that they would be receiving good news soon.

Don and Pete both fell asleep on the plane on the way home. Peggy tried to do the same but Harry insisted upon asking her several impertinent questions. "So what _was_ that between you and Draper. Are you two an item now?" Peggy tried to play dumb and blow him off. "I don't know what you're talking about Harry." Harry looked at Peggy with "Come on Peggy, I'm not an idiot. I saw the way you looked at him...you could cut the sexual tension with a knife. Did you sleep with him?" "Shhh!" Peggy hissed, "Keep your voice down!" Peggy stood up and saw that Don and Pete were sound asleep in the row in front of them. "Harry, that is none of your business." Peggy whispered, but she blushed scarlet and that was all the confirmation Harry needed. "Okay fine, don't tell me. But a word of advice...be careful. I love Don but the man is a wolf. I've got to hand it to you though, Don is a hundred times better than Ted Chaough!" Peggy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Thanks Harry. You've got to promise that you're not going to say anything." Harry held up three fingers, "Scout's Honor." Peggy smirked, "Good, now be quiet so I can get some sleep." Harry laughed but he left Peggy alone for the rest of the flight.

The team went their separate ways once they landed at the airport. Don asked Peggy if she would like to share a cab and she eagerly agreed. Don flagged one down and as they were handing their luggage to the driver, Harry caught Peggy's eye as he was walking towards the platform. He smirked and flashed the three fingered salute once more to Peggy. Don noticed this interaction and he frowned in confusion. Once they were on the road Don began to speak. "What's with Harry?" Don asked. Peggy sighed, "He knows about us Don." "Jesus!" Don exclaimed, "How did he find out?" Peggy smirked, "Well for starters I don't think you've ever kissed me on the cheek when you've seen me first thing in the morning. And I have never been accused of having a good poker face." Don laughed. "Well honestly it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if people found out about us. We're not doing anything wrong. I'm getting divorced and I'm not even your boss anymore. Technically you're my superior...if anything you're taking advantage of me!" Don said grinning mischievously. Peggy elbowed Don in the ribs playfully and he put his arm around her, pulling her close and he kissed the top off her head. Peggy rest her head on Don's shoulder and dozed off for the remainder of the ride.

Don gently prodded Peggy awake when they arrived at her apartment. Peggy was groggy and disoriented at first but she smiled when she realized who she was with. She thought that it was probably the first time she actually felt safe in her neighborhood. "Do you want to come in and see the place?" Peggy asked hopefully. "Feel free to say no." Don smiled warmly. "I'd love to Peggy. There's no place I'd rather be." Peggy felt her heart flutter and she kissed Don lightly on the lips. "Good. Let's go." Peggy said and she exited the cab. Don paid the driver and followed Peggy up the steps into her brownstone. Don was impressed. "You own the whole building?" Don asked incredulously. Peggy nodded as she unlocked the door to her apartment. "Yep. Abe talked me into it. I wanted an apartment with a doorman like yours, but he thought we should be pioneers. I hate this neighborhood." Peggy said bitterly. Don furrowed his brow."It's not great, and I worry about you being here all alone." Peggy smirked, "I'm fine Don. Go on in and make yourself comfortable. I'm going to order a pizza." Don looked around Peggy's apartment and noticed several piles of magazines and newspapers, as well as clothing strewn about. "I'm sorry about the mess. I left in kind of a hurry yesterday." Peggy said from inside the kitchen. "You're kind of a slob!" Don observed, clearly amused. Peggy came out of the kitchen and was embarrassed. "I live alone Don and I'm hardly ever here." Don chuckled. "Don't apologize Peggy. I'm just giving you a hard time. Come here." Don requested. Peggy walked towards Don and he folded her into his arms and hugged her tight. Peggy felt at home in Don's embrace and she breathed in his familiar scent. He then kissed her on the lips deeply. Once he ended the kiss he looked into her eyes and smiled. "I've been waiting to do that all day." Don said happily. Peggy was about to return the kiss when there was a knock on the door. Peggy looked through the peephole and cursed to herself. "Who is it?" Don asked as Peggy opened the door.

Peggy's nine year-old neighbor Julio walked in. "Can I watch TV and have a Popsicle? My mom is at work and I haven't had dinner." Peggy sighed. "Hi Julio. This isn't a good time. My friend Don is here..." "Another boyfriend?" Julio exclaimed, "I hope he's not as weird as the last one!" Don looked at Peggy with confusion and Peggy mouthed the word "Ginsberg" for Don's benefit. Don nodded in understanding. "No, Don's nice...he even has kids. How old are your kids now Don?" Peggy asked. Don raised his eyebrows in amusement and replied, "Sally is fifteen, Bobby is twelve and Gene is six." Julio was impressed. "Wow, that's a lot of kids! Where do you live?" "Julio!" Peggy said sharply. Don answered Julio's question in spite of Peggy's objection. "83rd and Park." Julio's eyes grew large. "Jesus! You must be rich...do you have a color TV." Julio asked curiously. "Julio!" Peggy exclaimed again quickly losing her patience. "I do." Don answered. "Listen, would you want to watch TV and have some pizza with us?" Don asked politely. Peggy looked at Don quizzically and he shrugged. Julio beamed, "That would be great!" he exclaimed. For the next couple of hours Don and Peggy sat together on the couch while Julio watched television. They all shared the pizza and once they had finished eating Peggy told Julio it was time to leave. Julio went back to his own apartment reluctantly leaving Don and Peggy alone again.

Peggy locked the door behind him and she walked up to Don and gave him a big hug. "What was that for?" Don asked. Peggy answered, "You were so nice to Julio. His mom works all the time and he's often left alone so he's over here a lot. They're moving away soon...I'm really going to miss him. He's about the same age as my son would be." Peggy said sadly. Don's eyes widened in surprise. "Jesus, that's right." Don said quietly. Peggy continued, "Anyway it means a lot to me that you would show such compassion for a total stranger. You're a good man Don." Peggy said sincerely.

Don's face fell and he pulled away from Peggy and walked over to stare out the window for a few moments. Peggy was puzzled by Don's sudden change in mood. "Did I say something wrong?" Peggy asked. After a few seconds Don turned around and faced Peggy, his expression very serious. "Peggy," Don began, "before we go any further I need to tell you something." Peggy was concerned. "Okay Don, you can tell me anything. Come sit down." Don sat on the couch and studied his hands. Peggy sat down next to him and looked at him with concern. Don took a deep breath and began.

"Peggy, there is no easy way to say this but to just come out with it. My name is not really Don Draper, it's Dick Whitman. I took my commanding officer's name after he was killed and I was wounded in an accident in Korea. The hospital mistook me for Don and I was discharged from the army and sent home. I...switched the tags so that they would make that mistake. I had to get away from my family and that was the only way I could think of to ensure that I wouldn't be sent back there. Anyway, I hid from my family on the train when the army delivered what they thought was Dick's body, but my half brother Adam saw me and he thought he saw a ghost. That was perhaps the most cowardly thing I have ever done."

Peggy took one of Don's hands and squeezed it. Don met her eyes and she nodded, encouraging him to continue. Don took a deep breath and continued. "After that I began living as Don. I went to night school, I sold cars. Then one day Don's wife came to see me. He had never mentioned her so I didn't know that she existed. All she wanted was to know where her husband was. I explained to her what had happened and for some reason she didn't turn me in. We became good friends after that and I remained married to her on paper for years until I met Betty. I asked her for a divorce and I continued to provide for her until she died a few years ago."

Peggy reached over and rubbed Don's back. "Did you ever see your family again? What about your brother, have you tried to contact him?" Peggy asked. Don's shoulder's sagged and he looked down and studied his hands. "They're all dead. Abigail, my step mother evidently passed away years ago, as did my Uncle Mac who helped raise me. Adam...came to see me once. He saw a picture of me in an old copy of Ad Age. He just wanted to be a part of my life but I couldn't risk him exposing me. I gave him money and told him to never contact me again. I found out later that he killed himself."

Peggy reached over and took one of Don's hands and squeezed it. His eyes were filling with tears as he met Peggy's concerned gaze. "I am not a good man Peggy...far from it in fact. I am a fraud. The person that you thought you knew all these years doesn't exist. It's all an act. I am nothing like Don. I am a coward and a liar and I have never been faithful to anyone."

Peggy reached up and touched Don's face. "Don, I don't care. You said that you're not a good man but I don't think that's true. You have made some bad choices, but who hasn't. I have known you for a long time and I've seen some of the shit you've done. I know you've cheated on your wives...I was your secretary. But you are not a bad person Don. There is a lot of good in you. You have always treated me with respect when no one else in that office would. You have a very kind heart and you're very generous. As for what you just told me, it doesn't sound like you intentionally hurt anyone. You were a scared kid trying to get out of a terrible situation. I find it hard to blame you for that."

Don looked at Peggy with a mixture of confusion and amazement. "I never would have expected you to take this so well. Can I ask you a question though?" Peggy nodded. "How did you know about the other women? Peggy grimaced and removed her hand from Don's face. "You were usually very discrete, but there was one a time when a woman called and asked to speak with you, and then you disappeared for several hours. I had to cover for you when your ex wife Betty came in with your kids. And with Megan, well I know you Don. You were often preoccupied and distracted...and not in the same way you were when you two were first married. I could tell something was up. You did not cover your tracks well at all. "Jesus!" Don said softly, deeply mortified. He couldn't bring himself to look at Peggy. She continued, "I do want to make something clear Don. I will not stand for being treated that way. I don't deserve that. No one does." Peggy said firmly. Don frowned and said nothing, knowing full well that Peggy was right. Peggy knew she was being hard on him so she decided to even the playing field a bit. "Don, look at me." Don looked up reluctantly. "I'm not a saint either. I've made a lot of mistakes too. I slept with Ted, and Duck...and Pete!" Don eyes widened with shock. "Campbell? When did that happen?" Peggy grimaced. "A long time ago...after my first day of work. And then again in his office before work. It doesn't matter. But Pete is the father of my baby." "Jesus, really?" Don said, astonished. Peggy nodded. "He knows...I told him years ago. So you see everyone has parts of their past that they'd like to forget but can't because those decisions and actions have made us who we are."

Don shook his head in wonderment. "Jesus. Pete Campbell. I always assumed it was Kinsey." Peggy made a face. "Really? Why?" Don shrugged. "He was sweet on you...they all were. You were a pretty little thing back then. I saw it...I could understand why." Don said with a small smile. "You said I looked like Irene Dunne." Peggy said, furrowing her brow. Don nodded and laughed quietly. "I did, I had a crush on her when I was a boy." Peggy smirked, "Well you certainly managed to withstand my charms." Don gave her a knowing look. "Peggy, I had rules...that I didn't follow very well. You were much too sweet and innocent and you wouldn't have wanted to be drawn into my web at that point anyway. It wouldn't have ended well." Peggy smirked, "That's probably true. And now?" Peggy asked. Don smiled, "Now, you are a beautiful, confident woman whom I am in love with." Peggy looked at Don and smiled. "I love you too Don. Hey, can I ask you a question?" Peggy asked. Don nodded. "Absolutely. What is it?" Don said "Can I call you Dick when we're alone? I really like that name. It suits you." Don nodded. "I would love it. I already feel like myself when I'm with you, which is completely new for me." Peggy grinned and then she stood up and grabbed Don's hands, pulling him to his feet. "Come on Dick, let's go to bed. We have to go to work tomorrow." Peggy ordered playfully. "Yes Ma'am!" Don said grinning.

They made love that night and fell asleep holding each other close in Peggy's bed. Peggy loved having Don stay at her place. She felt very safe with him there and after their talk that evening she felt as if she knew him better than anyone else did. She thought that she would be content if he stayed there with her forever.

Don enjoyed being with Peggy in her comfortable mess of an apartment. It felt more like a home to him than his own apartment did. It was with regret that he had to leave early the next morning to unpack his bags from his trip and prepare for the day's work. He kissed Peggy softly on the cheek so as not to wake her and he quietly went out the door. When he arrived home his apartment appeared even less inviting than it had before he left.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Peggy arrived at work in an exceptionally good mood. She couldn't keep herself from smiling and she was sure that everyone could tell. When she arrived at her secretary's desk she saw a bouquet of red roses and her smile grew wider. "Ms Olson, these arrived for you a few minutes ago." Peggy's secretary said excitedly. "Who are they from?" Peggy opened the card and read it to herself and turned bright red. "Who's D?" A voice behind her said suddenly causing Peggy to jump. "Damn it Stan!" Peggy exclaimed. "Don't you know it's rude to sneak up and read over someone's shoulder?" Stan grinned. "Why Peggy Olson, you have a secret boyfriend!" Peggy swatted him away. "Stop it!" Peggy said testily. "Hey Don!" Stan called out when he noticed Don coming down the hallway. "Guess what? Our little Peggy has a secret admirer!" Don had seen the whole exchange and had hoped to remain undetected. Don kept his expression neutral as he walked towards them. "Well it's about time." He said lightly, smiling. "Good morning." Don said to the three of them in the hallway.

Don tread lightly, waiting for a cue from Peggy for how to proceed. Peggy beamed and looked directly at Don. "Thank you for the flowers." Don raised his eyebrows in surprise and smiled warmly. "Anytime, sweetheart." Don then kissed her on the cheek and then handed his secretary his hat and briefcase and went into his office.

Stan stood in the hallway with his mouth agape. "What the hell is going on?" He asked. Peggy grabbed Stan by the arm and pulled him into her office shutting the door behind her. "Are you sleeping with Draper?" Stan hissed. Peggy sighed, "Stan, let me explain. It's not like that." Peggy said calmly. Stan shook his head in disbelief. "How the hell else could it be? Peggy, what are you doing? This is Don! You know how he is better than anyone! Have you forgotten he's married?" Stan asked, unable to hide his concern. "He's getting divorced as we speak. Stan, please don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing." Peggy said. Stan shook his head, "I hope so. I don't want to have to clean up another mess like I did before with Ted." Stan said quietly. Peggy touched her friend's cheek. "I appreciate your concern big brother, but I'll be fine. He's a good man." Stan made a face and tried to make light of the situation. "He'd better treat you right or I'll beat the shit out of him." Peggy smirked. "You talk big, but we both know that you are as threatening as a teddy bear." Stan frowned. "Do you love him?" Peggy nodded, "Yes, very much." Stan sighed and shook his head. "And does he love you?" Peggy nodded again. "Yes." Peggy answered with certainty. Stan smiled sadly. "Then I will wish you luck and hope for the best. Just don't marry the guy any time soon...that never seems to go well for anyone."

A little while later Peggy knocked on Don's door frame. Don was sitting at his desk eating a cheese danish. He had just taken a bite and was in the middle of chewing when Peggy appeared. "I think Meredith went out for coffee. I can't imagine she'd let me near you otherwise." Peggy said smirking. Don chuckled and finished chewing. "She's very protective of me. Did you need something?" Peggy walked into Don's office and sat down, leaving the door open. "I just wanted to thank you again for the flowers. No one has ever sent me roses before." Don smiled. "It was my pleasure. Are you hungry? I can split this with you?" Don asked, pointing to the half-eaten pastry. Peggy shook her head. "No, thank you. Listen, about before...with the card and everything. I just didn't feel like lying or keeping this a secret, especially from Stan. Besides you he's my closest friend and I cannot lie to him. And besides, I'm not ashamed to be with you..." "Thank you." Don interrupted, smirking, "...and you're right, we're not doing anything wrong." Don nodded. "I agree." Peggy smiled and continued. "I don't want to sneak around or anything, but we don't need to announce that we're sleeping together at a partners' meeting either." Don laughed and nodded in agreement. Peggy paused briefly, then continued, looking Don straight in the eye, "We can be friendly and still be professional right?" Don nodded. "Sure." He said with a small smile. Peggy grinned. "Okay, good. I just wanted to clarify things." Don chuckled and finished eating his breakfast.

Peggy leaned forward in her seat. "You left so early this morning, I didn't get to say goodbye." Peggy said sadly. "I didn't want to wake you. I had a few things I had to take care of." Don said conspiratorially. "You smell like chlorine." Peggy observed. Don laughed at the abrupt change in conversation. "I went swimming this morning." Peggy nodded and was about to respond when Pete came in. "Oh good, you're both here. Burger Chef just called. We got it!" Don's face lit up, as did Peggy's. "That's great news! Congratulations!" Don said sincerely. Pete smiled. "Thank you, but the credit really belongs to you two. I'm sorry I ever doubted you." Don stood up and shook Pete's hand. "No hard feelings Pete." Don said sincerely. "I'll alert Joan and have her make an announcement. This calls for a celebration!" "Alert Dawn, not Joan Pete." Don said correcting him. "Right, I keep forgetting that." Pete said, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Congratulations again!" Pete said happily as he left Don's office.

Don and Peggy looked at each other happily. "Congratulations Don!" Peggy said sincerely. Don gave Peggy a knowing look. "Peggy, you put your heart and soul into this pitch. This victory is yours. I'm sorry that I'm getting most of the credit." "We worked on it together." Peggy said happily. "I'd rather share the credit with someone who's work I respect, than with Lou." Don smirked at Peggy's words. "We make a pretty good team you and I." Peggy observed. "Yes we do." Don said with warm smile. "Come here." Don requested. Peggy came around Don's desk and stood right in front of him. Peggy game him a quizzical look. "Are you sure this is appropriate office behavior?" Don met Peggy's eyes and shrugged. "I don't care." Don leaned over and kissed Peggy briefly on the lips and then he drew her into his arms for a heartfelt embrace. "I love you Peggy." Don said quietly in her ear. Peggy smiled, "I love you too, Dick." Peggy replied softly.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Don's divorce became final a month after the agency won the Burger Chef account. He was relieved because although they weren't keeping their relationship a secret, he now felt more comfortable openly dating Peggy.

Don and Peggy had settled into a comfortable routine easily. In the mornings they would wake up, have breakfast together and go to work, arriving separately on the days that Don went swimming. They would work together on projects whenever possible, and they would often take work home with them to work on together, often over dinner. They knew it wasn't glamorous or exciting, but it worked well for them. Their relationship was a welcome change for them both, being romantically involved with someone who understood and appreciated what they did for a living.

Unfortunately for Don, working with Peggy was the only thing to look forward to at the office. Don had hoped that after months of acting like a brave little soldier, that he would eventually be rewarded with his old job back, but that had not proven to be the case. The partners, with the exception of Pete and Roger were content to watch him put through the paces. He had followed the ridiculous stipulations of his contract to the letter (with a few mis-steps in the beginning) but nothing seemed to matter. He was still being punished for his actions from the previous year and if he ever wanted to regain his stature and his old job he would have to be patient, which had never been his strong-suit. Being forced to report to Lou had been almost more than he could bear. Lou represented everything Don feared becoming-a washed-up, talentless hack. Don knew that Lou resented having him on his team, undermining his authority with the other Creatives. Don discovered early on that Lou didn't care about finding the right idea, and he settled for what was only adequate more often than not. Don had no respect for Lou's methods and he continued to do things his own way. The only thing that made work tolerable was working with Peggy. Peggy was a perfectionist like him and she wouldn't settle for mediocre work. Don realized that that the smartest thing he had ever done was to make Peggy a copywriter. She saw things from a point of view that he did not have. Working with her over the past couple of months had been the only thing that kept him from losing his mind.

Even though they had only been in a romantic relationship for a short while, Don knew he was ready to make a commitment to Peggy. He didn't want to make the same mistakes he made with Betty and Megan by moving too quickly into marriage, but Don knew that he did not want to live apart from Peggy at all anymore. He was considering the possibility of moving in with her. Don almost always stayed at Peggy's, preferring her apartment to his. The only time he stayed at his own place was when his kids were visiting on weekends. Things continued like this for several months. Don had never been happier or more comfortable in a relationship. He had dropped his facade in front of Peggy and he was able to completely be himself. Peggy enjoyed being with the "real" Don or Dick as she often called him when they were alone. He was very affectionate and he was content to do even the most mundane tasks with her as long as they were together. Don was a very attentive lover and they made love most nights when he slept over. Peggy had never felt more beautiful or desirable than when she was with Don and she felt truly loved for the first time.

All happiness and goodwill ended one day A few months later after Peggy was unexpectedly summoned to Lou Avery's office. She had no idea what to expect and she felt very uneasy. Peggy had a rather tepid relationship with her boss and she tried to only deal with him when she absolutely had to. She had very little respect for him and his methods and she had a very difficult time hiding her true feelings from him or her staff.

Peggy was concerned when she saw Don waiting outside Lou's office as well. "You too?" Peggy asked Don nervously. "Do you have any idea what this is about?" Peggy asked Don. He shook his head, "Nope." He answered curtly. Don was trying appear relaxed, but in reality he felt sick to his stomach. The door opened and Lou ushered them into his office. Don and Peggy sat next to each other on the couch, both feeling a bit uneasy.

Lou sat down on the chair adjacent to the couch. "Thank you both for joining me on such short notice. Let me get right to it." Lou began. "It has come to my attention that Don has broken some of the stipulations of his contract." Alarmed, Peggy looked between Don and Lou. Don kept his expression impassive, but a feeling of dread swept over him. "What are you talking about?" Peggy asked, "What stipulations?" Lou smirked. "Oh, so you didn't know. Perfect. What I understand is that Don has been drinking in the office. Is this true?" Peggy looked at Don and he nodded almost imperceptibly. Peggy didn't want to be caught in a lie so she was as honest as possible. "Well the only time I can think of was after hours when we were working on Burger Chef." Peggy said frowning. "It doesn't matter Peggy, it still counts" Lou said smiling. "But that wasn't the incident I was referring to, so thank you for providing me with more ammunition. No I was referring to the time that Don got drunk in his office months ago and embarrassed himself and the company in front of the workers installing the computer. Did you really think that we would let that go Don?" Lou asked wryly. Don said nothing but he clenched his jaw and silently seethed with anger. "But all of that could have been forgiven, had you not insisted upon showing up to our meeting with Philip Morris unannounced and proceeded to pitch to them...off book, which if I recall was also against your rules." Lou said mockingly. Peggy was shocked and she looked at Don who leveled an angry glare at Lou. Lou continued undaunted. "Now Peggy, I don't expect that you knew about that incident, so I can't blame you for not bringing that to my attention. However there is something that concerns me about you and makes me doubt your suitability for your job. I heard a rumor that the two of you are having an affair, which leads me to question your judgement and your ability to manage your staff."

Peggy couldn't control her anger any longer and she exploded at Lou. "First of all, what I do in my personal life is my business and nobody else's. Do you want me to come out and say it? Fine, Don and I are together. It hasn't affected anyone in the office...if anything it has made things better. Second, I don't understand why you would have any doubts about my ability to manage my staff. We worked very hard, especially on Burger Chef and we did just bring in that huge account with work that was better than anything you could have come up with." Peggy said angrily. "Peggy, stop." Don warned. Lou shook his head dismissively. "But how can you possibly assign work objectively when you're sleeping with Draper?" Lou countered. "Don't you think that the junior copywriters will think you are playing favorites?" Peggy rolled her eyes in disgust but remained silent. Lou wasn't finished and went in for the kill. "Anyway Peggy, I find it hard to understand why you'd even be interested in a washed-up drunk like him anyway. I supposed it makes sense though...you couldn't have gotten where you are based on merit alone. You had to sleep your way to the top...first Ted Chaough, then Draper. You can forget about me though sweetheart, I'm immune to your charms." Lou said with a smirk.

"You asshole!" Peggy muttered. "Peggy!" Don shouted, his anger finally boiling over. "I know what you are doing Lou, and the fact that you are humiliating one of your best employees to get to me clearly shows what a deep lack of character you have. Peggy is one of the most talented writers I have ever worked with and you are lucky to have her on your team." Don said sincerely. "Well that is a ringing endorsement now isn't it!" Lou said snidely. "Please forgive me for not bowing to the wisdom of Donald Draper. In my mind you outlived your usefulness the day you blubbered like a little girl during that Hershey's meeting. If you think that anybody is ever going to forget about that you're more delusional than I first thought. I remain deeply unimpressed with the man behind the curtain. Why don't you retun there with your little whore Don." Lou said dismissively. Enraged, Don's face turned red and his eyes flashed with anger as he quickly rose from his seat. Lou stood up, looking at Don with his eyebrows raised. "What, do you want to take a swing at me Don? Go ahead, it would save us both a lot of trouble." In spite of his better judgement, Don drew back his arm and punched Lou in the face. Lou stumbled backwards and briefly lost his footing. Once he recovered, Peggy could see that Lou's eye was already beginning to swell. "You're fired!" Lou shouted. "Get your things and get out of here! Of course if you decide that you want more of a scene we can have security escort you out." Don turned on his heal and stormed out, leaving Peggy sitting alone on the couch. Lou tuned to Peggy. "I'm sorry to have dragged you into this Peggy. I hope you know it isn't personal." Peggy stood up and left Lou's office without a word.

Peggy ran quickly down the hallway to Don's office and found him loading up a box with a few personal items and important files. "Don!" Peggy called, trying to get his attention, "What are you going to do?" Peggy asked, quickly becoming overcome with emotion. Don looked up and met her concerned gaze. "Peggy, what can I do? I am going to leave, and I'll figure the rest out later." Don noticed that Peggy had begun to cry so he stopped what he was doing and crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. "Peggy, please stop. Everything is going to be fine. I have had other offers...I can easily go work someplace else."

Stan arrived in the doorway seconds later. "What the hell just happened? I could hear the yelling through the walls!" Stan asked. Peggy stopped crying after a few moments. Don handed her his handkerchief and she dried her eyes. "Lou insulted me, Don punched Lou, and then Lou fired him." Peggy explained. Stan was impressed. "Shit! Not that I haven't dreamt of doing the same thing Don, but why did you do that?" Don sighed. "It doesn't matter Stan. I should get going before Lou sicks his goons on me." Peggy began to cry softly again and Don placed his hands on Peggy's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "Peggy, I promise you I will be fine. I am going to need some time to sort things out but I will call you. I love you, Peggy." Don kissed her briefly on the lips and pulled her into a tight embrace once again. Peggy closed her eyes and breathed in his familiar scent for a few seconds. "I love you too, Dick." Peggy whispered into his ear. Don released her from his arms and went over to his desk and grabbed his belongings. "Take care of her Stan." Don said as he was headed for his office door. Don leaned over and kissed Peggy one last time on the cheek. "I love you Peggy. I'll talk to you soon." Peggy looked longingly at him as he left his office and walked out of the agency for the last time.

Peggy broke down into sobs and Stan grabbed her by the arm and escorted her into her office where she collapsed onto the sofa. Stan rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her. Peggy cried for quite a while until she eventually began to calm down. Once he thought she would be able to speak, Stan asked her some questions. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked. "Not really." Peggy said sadly. "Lou is such an asshole." Stan nodded in agreement. "Yes he is. So please don't keep me in suspense...what really happened?" Stan asked. Peggy sighed. "Apparently Don was in breech of contract because he drank in the office months ago. He hasn't had a drop in the office since and he's hardly drinking at all anymore. It's complete bullshit! I guess he also crashed a meeting with a tobacco company too, which was news to me. Then Lou proceeded to insult me, insinuating that my relationship with Don was clouding my judgement. I'm pretty sure Lou was baiting him anyway...they wanted him to quit. They just used him to pull in that huge account and then they planned to cut him loose." Peggy said bitterly.

"You should have heard some of the things that Lou said to me."Peggy continued, "He basically accused me of being a whore. He's a monster." Stan grimaced. "Then I'm glad Don punched him." Peggy shook her head. "I can't work for a man like that...misogynistic asshole!" Peggy spat bitterly. Stan nodded sadly. "So what are you going to do Chief? Are you going to cut and run and leave me here again?" Stan asked sadly. "Well I can't stay." Peggy answered angrily. Stan nodded in agreement. Peggy was silent for a few moments. "Stan, what would you think about starting up our own agency?" Peggy asked tentatively. Stan looked at Peggy incredulously. "What? Are you crazy?" Stan exclaimed. Peggy continued, "Here me out Stan. I know you're miserable here...you can't deny that. Well wouldn't it be great to have an agency where Creative is the focus again?" Peggy said hopefully. Stan shook his head. "Peggy, it's not that simple...we need accounts and money! "I bet we could convince Pete to join us. I know he's miserable too, plus he could move back here and be closer to his daughter." Peggy said excitedly. Stan gave Peggy a quizzical look. "What, so an agency with just you, me and Campbell?" Stan asked "And Don...we need Don." Peggy said with certainty. "Don? Are you serious?" Stan said incredulously. "Do you think he'd be willing to join us?" Stan asked. Peggy shook her head. "I don't know, but it's worth a try. You know he's the best there is." Stan nodded in agreement. "You're not too bad yourself Chief." Stan said encouragingly. He made a low whistle and ran his hands through his hair. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I'm in. We need to call Campbell and make sure he's willing to join us before we jump ship." Peggy broke into a huge grin and hugged her friend tightly. "Thank you so much Stanny! I'll call Pete right away! I'm going to wait a few days before I approach Don."

"Don did what?" Pete asked incredulously when Peggy called him later that night. "I can't believe it!" "He did." Peggy said impatiently. "Anyway, Stan and I want to start our own agency and we want you and Don to join us." Pete was intrigued. Peggy hesitated before continuing. "There is something that you should know Pete. Don and I are together." "As in together together?" "Yes, Pete. For a few months now." Peggy said quietly. Pete's heart sank. "A thing like that. I was not prepared for this news. Are you in love?" Pete asked. "Yes we are." Peggy said with certainty. Pete smiled sadly. "I can see it. I think you would be good for him." Peggy was silent for a moment, letting the news sink in. "So what do you think Pete? Are you in?" Peggy asked. Pete was silent for a few seconds, then he answered. "I'll do it, but this time I get to have my name on the door!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Peggy waited somewhat impatiently for the door to open. It had been a week since she had heard from Don and she was growing concerned. She had called his apartment multiple times but she had not been able to reach him and she assumed that he had taken the phone off the hook. She had attempted to reach him again that morning, and after yet another failed attempt she decided to go see him and make sure that everything was all right.

After a few minutes and several rings of the doorbell, the door opened. "Peggy?" Don said wearily, "What are you doing here? Why aren't you at work?" Peggy was surprised by Don's appearance. He looked like hell. He had answered the door wearing pajamas and his bathrobe and it looked like he hadn't shaved in about a week. Peggy couldn't decide if a Don was sick or just hungover. She assumed it was the latter. Peggy was relieved to see that Don was at least physically okay, but her relief quickly turned into rage. She suppressed her anger in order to find out what was going on. She replied testily, "I'll tell you in a minute. Can I come in?" Don opened the door widely and Peggy walked in.

Peggy's heart sank when she saw several empty bottles of liquor lying around Don's apartment. "I'm sorry about the mess." Don said apologetically as he walked into the kitchen with Peggy following close behind. "Can I get you something? I think I have coffee around here somewhere." Don said as he began rummaging around in his kitchen. Peggy shook her head, "No thank you, I'm fine." Don found the coffee and began preparing himself a pot. He cleared his throat before speaking again. "So Peggy, you never explained why you are here and not at work. Are you playing hooky?" "No, I quit yesterday." Peggy said flatly. Don stopped what he was doing and stared at her, astonished. "You did what?" Don exclaimed, "Have you lost your mind? What possessed you to do that?" "I couldn't work there anymore Don, not after what that man said to me." Peggy said adamantly. Don shrugged, a gesture which drew Peggy's ire. "What, was that not a good enough reason? Should I have waited for him to throw money in my face and _then_ quit?" Don's eyes flashed, "So what, Peggy? Did you come here to tell me you quit, hoping for validation? Well congratulations...you just made the dumbest decision of your life." Don said sarcastically. What little patience Peggy had vanished at this point. "Why are you being such an asshole Don? I came here because I was worried about you. I know you said you needed time to think things through, but you also said you'd call and you never did. I tried to reach you myself but evidently you took your phone off the hook. What if I had been one of your children Don? What if there had been an emergency?" Peggy paused briefly, letting her words sink in. "It's been a week Don! I convinced myself that you were in trouble and apparently I was right. What are you doing to yourself? You've been doing so well and I was so proud of you. But it's obvious that you've been on some kind of bender. Don, I care about what happens to you. I don't know...maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I should just leave you to your own devices but I can't do that. You are too important to me."

Don scrubbed his hand over his face and sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry I didn't call. I needed some time to sort things out. What you need to understand is that I couldn't bear for anyone to see me like this, especially you. That job was everything to me. I sacrificed time with my kids for it, my marriage...and for what?" Don closed his eyes and hung his head. Peggy frowned, unsure of how to proceed.

"Don listen to me." Peggy began, "I understand that you are upset. But you can't keep going on like this. You matter too much to too many people, myself included, for you to continue to kill yourself like this. Do you know that I half expected to come here and find you hanging like Lane Pryce?" Don looked up alarmed. "You lost your job, it's not the end of the world. You'll get another one, you said so yourself."

Don clenched his jaw and took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. "I appreciate your concern Peggy, really. But I don't think you could possibly understand how I feel." Don said irritably. "I was fired from the agency I helped build. I was given a second chance begrudgingly and I put up with their ridiculous rules, hoping that they would eventually realize that I was essential to the agency, but that never happened. Then I threw it all away when that son of a bitch Lou was mean to my girlfriend." Don said bitterly.

"Don the writing was on the wall...you know as well as I do that this was coming regardless of whether you punched Lou or not. The partners were just looking for a reason to fire you and as usual they made someone else do the work for them. They never wanted you to succeed. They used you to win Burger Chef, and now Lou gets to take the credit for _our_ work! Don that agency barely resembles the one you built. It makes me sad to think about how much it has changed...nobody cares about Creative anymore. All they care about is that stupid computer." Peggy said bitterly. Don grimaced, but had to acknowledge the truth in what Peggy was saying.

Peggy came over and stood in front of Don who was leaning against the kitchen counter. Don was staring at the ground and Peggy gently grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her. "Don, listen to me. I know you're upset with the way it happened, but for what it's worth I appreciate that you defended my honor...again." Don furrowed his brow in confusion. "Again? What are you talking about?" Peggy grimaced. "Years ago, when we worked all night on Samsonite, Duck came into the office drunk looking for me. He saw me with you and he assumed that we had been screwing and he called me a whore. You punched him and the two of you got into a fight in the creative lounge." Don shook his head angrily at the memory. "Those men had no right to insult you like that. You got where you are based on talent alone, nothing else." Peggy smiled gratefully and touched Don's cheek. "And you have always been my champion. I know I haven't always shown it, but I have always appreciated it." Don took Peggy's hand from his cheek and placed it over his lips and kissed it reverently. Peggy's eyes filled with tears. "I love you Don and I need you to be around for a long time. Please don't ever shut me out like that again." Don took Peggy's hand and squeezed it tightly and looked her straight in the eyes. "I won't, you have my word." Don said sincerely. Don drew Peggy into his arms and hugged her tight, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I love you, Peggy."

Don released Peggy from his arms after a few minutes. Peggy wiped away the tears that had fallen. "I did have another reason for coming that I'm really excited about." "Oh?" Don exclaimed, "I'm intrigued, go on." Peggy took a deep breath and began. "Don, I've decided to start my own agency with Pete and Stan...and you if you're willing." Don was stunned. "Jesus, Peggy. I don't know." Peggy smiled. "Come on Don, do you need me to convince you how good it will be? Just picture it...you and me working together on Creative every day." Don shook his head. "Peggy it's not that simple. We need clients, and cash flow." "Pete has clients, and you know how eager he is. Stan is very hungry too. He couldn't wait to give Lou the middle finger on his way out the door!" Don laughed, imagining that scenario, but he still wasn't convinced. "Peggy I don't know. Would those guys even want to work with me? I'm damaged goods." Don said sadly. "Are you kidding?" Peggy exclaimed. "Stan really respects your work, and Pete loves you...he's your biggest fan!" Don was amazed. "Jesus, Pete Campbell." "We can work out the finer details later, but please say that you'll join us. You know it'll be great!" Don thought for a moment, then he broke into a broad smile. "Okay, I'll do it." Peggy threw her arms around Don and hugged him tight. "Thank you Don! I promise you won't regret this!" "I hope not!" Don said with a wry smile.

Peggy cleaned up Don's apartment while he took a shower. "Leave the beard please!" Peggy called to Don as he headed into his bedroom. Don furrowed his brow in confusion. "Really? I thought you didn't like beards." Peggy smiled, "I like you in a beard. Come on Don, for me?" Peggy asked sweetly. Don gave her an odd look. "Okay, have it your way."

A little while later Don emerged from his bedroom freshly showered and dressed casually, wearing a full beard. Peggy grinned and walked up and stood close to him and touched his face. "Do you still like it?" Don asked. Peggy grinned. "I do. It's hard to explain, but you almost look like a different person with the beard You don't look like Don anymore...you look like Dick. Plus I think it makes you look very sexy." Don grinned. "I have to say that hearing you call me by my real name is such a turn on." Peggy was surprised. "Really?" "Yes." Don said emphatically. "So much so that it is all I can do to keep myself from picking you up and throwing you on my bed and fucking you right now." Don's eyes bored into hers and Peggy's stomach fluttered. "Well Dick, I will certainly not stand on your way." Don immediately swept Peggy up into his arms and gently placed her on his bed where they made love.

Afterwards, Don pulled Peggy close to him, enjoying the warmth of her body close to his. "Peggy," Don said suddenly, "I think we should move in together. I don't want to live here anymore and I need you around to keep me in line. What do you say?" Peggy was floored. "Are you serious?" Peggy asked. Don nodded. "Completely. I would ask you to marry me, but that has never ended well for anyone. Maybe someday in the future. I hope you know that I am completely committed to you. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else. What do you say we give it a try? I just want to be with you forever Peggy." Don said affectionately. Peggy couldn't believe her ears. "Where would you want to live?" Peggy asked, Don smiled, "Your place would be fine. It may be a dump, but it feels like home to me." Peggy laughed. "It feels like a home when you're there too. I would love to live with you Dick!" Don smiled and then kissed Peggy full on the lips. "Thank you, Peggy. You have made me very happy!" Peggy smiled warmly. "You have made me happy too, Dick." The couple held each other until they fell asleep.


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**1969-1979**

Don sold his Park Avenue penthouse and moved into Peggy's apartment. When Peggy's various tenants moved out, Don helped her to renovate the spaces and make them one large living area, complete with several extra bedrooms for when Don's kids visited. The neighborhood gradually improved over time and Peggy's building eventually proved to be a very wise investment.

Don agreed to join the new agency, which they decided to call Olson Rizzo Campbell, as a silent partner with a 25% share in the company. Don was happy to help out financially in any way that he could. However he had no interest in having his name being involved in the name of the company since it was Peggy's venture. He also wanted to focus simply on his work, not on the business aspects of the company. Don brought his accountant Frank Keller on to act as CFO since he had proven to be very loyal over the years.

The fledgling agency operated for a time out of the Waldorf Astoria which amused Stan and Peggy no end given their shared history with the place.

The new agency quickly established itself as an innovative creative firm. Pete had a knack for drumming up new business and he always kept their eyes on the future. It wasn't too long before the agency moved into a small office space in Midtown, and their list of clients steadily increased. Don and Peggy both won awards for their creative work and Peggy did eventually win a coveted CLIO.

* * *

><p><strong>1979 and Beyond<strong>

After living together for close to ten years, one day out of the blue Don asked Peggy if she wanted to get married. Peggy looked at Don askance, "Why would you want to do that? Things have been going great for so long...I'm fine keeping things as they are." Don looked at Peggy with disbelief. "Peggy, after all this time do you seriously doubt my ability to remain faithful to you?" Peggy smiled reassuringly. "Not at all, I just think that if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Don laughed. "What's the problem? I'm an old man...do you think that putting a ring on my finger is suddenly going to cause me to stray?" Peggy laughed at the absurdity of Don's statement. There were a few more lines on Don's face and there were grey hairs peppering his once dark brown hair, but Don had aged very gracefully. "No Don, I don't doubt you one bit...and you are not old. You're fifty-three years old and if it's possible you look even more like Cary Grant than you did when you were younger...it's infuriating!" Don smiled humbly. "Thank you sweetheart, You are still as lovely as you were when you first started as my secretary almost twenty years ago...Jesus, has it been that long?" Don asked with his eyebrows raised. Peggy nodded. Don shook his head. "Shit, time really does fly. Anyway, you are still very beautiful and have a dynamite ass." Peggy laughed, "You sure know how to sweet talk a lady. But hold on a second, did you say that you _would_ wear a ring? I thought real men didn't wear jewelry." Peggy said with a wry smile. Don shrugged. "I would for you...if you'll marry me?" Peggy's face fell. "You're serious?" Peggy asked. Don nodded. "I am. Peggy, these last ten years have been the best of my life. You have made me so happy. This not to say that every day has been a picnic, but we have weathered those storms and come out stronger I think. Unfortunately, you and I aren't getting any younger. I just want to go into my golden years with the woman I love and have her by my side for the rest of my life. Please say you'll marry me Peggy."

Don surprised Peggy by getting down on one knee and pulling out a box with a ring inside. It was an antique emerald ring with diamonds on either side of the stone. Peggy's eyes filled with happy tears and she began to cry. "Oh Dick it's beautiful. You remembered my birthstone!" Don smiled. Of course I did. There's a reason why I picked today of all days to propose...it is your _fortieth_ birthday!" Peggy playfully smacked Don. "Don't remind me." Peggy said, pouting. Don laughed and gently touched her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "You didn't answer my question Peggy. What do you think?" Don asked nervously. Peggy looked deep into Don's green eyes and she broke into a warm smile. "Yes Dick, I will marry you." Don picked her up and spun her around as if she weighed nothing. Don then placed her on her feet and kissed her, full on the lips. "You have made me so happy sweetheart! I love you. I promise you won't regret it." Don said sincerely, grinning from ear to ear. "I know. I love you, Dick." Peggy said affectionately.

They married in a simple ceremony at City Hall a few weeks later. As Don predicted, nothing really changed but he did willingly wear a gold wedding band to signify his commitment to his marriage to Peggy. They had many happy years together until Don's passing at the age of seventy-eight. Peggy retired from ad game shortly after she lost Don still continues to live in her brownstone to this day.

~The End


End file.
